Page 178 of Mountain Daddy
Not like this.
As if scripted, Smalls walks in through the back door, right next to the bar.
“Hey, Jessie.” The tall, lanky man smiles at me.
He makes it behind the bar just as Joe and Kendra grab stools.
As they all say hi, Joe introduces Smalls to Kendra, and I sidestep toward the end of the bar.
“Hey, guys.” I try to greet them casually, hoping to hide the panic I’m currently feeling.
But Joe tilts his head, that adorably curious expression covering his face. “You good?”
I nod. “Super good. Just gotta… do something.”
Chapter 107
Luther
Someone crashes into me.
I grunt, reaching out to catch the arm of the person in front of me.
It takes a moment for my vision to cooperate. “Jessie?”
We’re standing in the alleyway between the bar and the motel rooms, and I don’t know why she’s out here.
She pushes at my chest. “Get back.”
“Huh?” I look down at her hands. “What are you doing?”
“You have to turn around.” She pushes again, but she’s so weak it doesn’t do anything.
“Your muscles are so puny.” I poke at her bicep.
“Focus.” She slaps my hand away. “You need to disappear.”
My face scrunches up. “What? Why?”
She leans in, lowering her voice. “Because Kendra is here.”
The sentence slithers into my brain one word at a time.
Kendra. Is. Here.
My eyes lift over Jessie’s head to the door just feet away.
Here.
Kendra is in my bar.
I take one step forward into Jessie’s space.
“She’s not alone.” Jessie shoves at my chest again.
“Not alone?” Red sparks in my vision.
“Joe is with her.”
